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The Reddam House Durbanville Class of 2023’s Cambridge International AS Level and A Level students have excelled beyond expectation. Fifty AS Level students achieved 126 subject distinctions while six students wrote A Levels, with one student achieving four out of four subject distinctions. Designed to challenge the academic abilities of students and prepare them for …
Sony Corporation Announces Development of Spatial Content Creation System, Equipped with High-Quality XR Head-Mounted Display and Controllers Dedicated to Interaction with 3D Objects Metaverse Technologies and Hardware to Empower 3D Content Creators XR head-mounted display and controllers[i] South Africa, 11 January 2024 – Sony Corporation announced development of an immersive spatial content creation system, which …
Local business owners scupper latest effort by Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality to remove water
As the opening of the 2024 academic year approaches, many prospective tertiary students find themselves without the means to afford their studies. As the last Nelson Mandela once said, “education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world”, but how does one afford to educate themselves with the high price …
Municipality blames water shortage on vandalism of pump station last March
NRF increases funding for postdoctoral fellows
The National Research Foundation (NRF) announced on Tuesday its decision to increase the annual value of grants awarded to postdoctoral fellows.
The new cohort that will start their Freestanding, Innovation and Scarce Skills (FISS) and grant holder-linked postdoctoral fellowships in 2024 will receive increased grants.
The NRF’s postdoctoral fellowship programmes provide funding for young scientists and professionals of the highest calibre to receive postdoctoral research training and international exposure to strengthen their research profiles and career advancement.
These are individuals who have completed their doctoral degree studies and are working towards developing their careers as academic researchers.
Currently, the NRF-funded postdoctoral fellows receive non-taxable stipends ranging between R200 000 and R255 000 annually and an annual R50 000 research grant.
The new adjustments will move non-taxable stipends to R320 000 per annum while keeping research grants at R50 000.
“Continuing postdoctoral fellowships that started in 2023 and are in their second or third year of funding will still utilise the old values and their original conditions of grant will still apply.”
The implementation of the new Department of Science and Innovation-NRF Postgraduate Student Funding policy in 2023 resulted in a significant increase in the funding value of honours, masters and doctoral students to R180 735, R202 004 and R223 273 at the full cost of study, respectively.
“The postdoctoral fellowships grants remained stagnant at the same time. This informed the NRF’s review of its postdoctoral fellowship values. The adjustment of grant values is intended to make postdoctoral fellowships competitive and increase their uptake, particularly by South African citizens.”
NRF CEO, Dr Fulufhelo Nelwamondo, said the agency supports postdoctoral fellowships to promote research and research capacity development in all fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and the Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH).
“The NRF recognises the importance of these fellowships which are aimed at providing a comprehensive training, development and mentorship programme for the establishment of an independent researcher involved in engaged research.
“We trust that the increased values of the FISS postdoctoral fellowships and grant holder-linked will make an added contribution in increasing the number and quality of postdoctoral research fellows in South Africa in all fields of research.” – SAnews.gov.za
Gabisile
Tue, 12/19/2023 - 11:48
Prof Euan Phimister is Head of Research at Stellenbosch Business School Across Africa, the loss of soils due to erosion is one of the most persistent environmental issues, greatly impacting food production and contributing to rising food insecurity. The degradation of soil poses a significant threat to sustainability on the continent and protecting the soil …
By NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman, African Energy Chamber (www.EnergyChamber.org)
Consider this paradox: Nigeria has achieved the largest economy in Sub-Saharan Africa, but 45%, or about 85 million, of its residents still live without electricity. Across Sub-Saharan Africa, that figure looms to 600 million.
I believe renewable energy is part of the solution to this dilemma — both in Nigeria and throughout the sub-continent. But there are several hurdles to be cleared before wind, solar, hydrogen, and other clean energy sources can provide the same economic benefits that natural gas — the other part of the solution — already offers. One of those hurdles will be preparing domestic workforces for employment and leadership in the growing renewable energy sector.
We are seeing movement in that direction. In Nigeria, for example, global renewables-promoting nonprofit, RMI, is providing technical training in partnership with four Nigerian energy distribution companies, two developers, and vocational training schools such as RMI's Energy Transition Academy and the Lagos Energy Academy. Aimed at producing leaders and energy entrepreneurs, the Nigerian Cohort of RMI's Global Fellowship Program, started in 2022, uses online learning and in-person experiences to develop leaders who know how to produce and employ solar PV, battery storage, and microgrid technologies.
We will need many, many more efforts like this for Africans to fully reap the economic benefits of our energy transition. For that to happen, more investment capital must be attracted for curriculum development, to support training efforts, and to help fledgling renewable businesses find their footing.
This is a critical topic, one that deserves attention at the 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) that is now underway and beyond.
Africa Must be Proactive in Building Capacity
The International Energy Agency (IEA) has predicted that 4 million new renewable energy jobs will be needed in sub-Saharan Africa by 2030 to meet 2050 net-zero goals. But it is not a given that those positions will be filled by Africans, especially if we rush forward with our transition from fossil fuels to renewables, as many wealthy nations and environmental groups are demanding.
Currently, there is a significant shortage of qualified human resources — people educated and prepared to take advantage of the opportunities for employment and entrepreneurship that renewables offer.
What's more, only 76,000 renewable energy jobs have been created in Africa, less than 1% of 10.3 million globally. That means the vast majority of Africans have absolutely no experience, or hands-on opportunities to develop skills, in green energy.
Education is Key
Turning this situation around begins with investing in and emphasizing the importance of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education at all levels in Africa.
African governments will need to do their part by driving improvements in all-around education in science and technology and green energy vocational programs.
Government policies should also provide advantages to attract private-sector visionaries and incentivize public-private collaborations that foster the education and training of Africans for career-level, leadership positions in the renewables sectors.
Africa's renewable energy sector is growing. That reality is a mixed blessing because of the shortage of homegrown, trained professionals able to create, construct, and run renewable projects. We do, however, have an advantage — our large, youthful demographic.
Many of our young people need jobs, and many more soon will. If we can put together partnerships among governments, learning facilities, and private industry, we can train our youth for careers in renewable technologies that offer them brighter futures.
We should be building on the examples of the promising educational opportunities that are available for African students who want to build a career in renewable energy. Here is a sampling:
Another Opportunity: Green Hydrogen
Surveying the renewables horizon, there is general agreement that decarbonizing all the world's economic sectors won't be possible without the use of green hydrogen — for feedstock, fuel cell technology, and electric vehicles.
The demand for this clean and adaptable fuel, produced with renewable energy sources, compounds the need for a trained renewable energy workforce.
Green hydrogen presents both a large opportunity and a large challenge for African nations. With its massive area and plentiful solar and wind resources, Africa could potentially be producing about 10% of the world's green hydrogen by 2030. But there is an “if” attached to that projection.
If African states strategize and invest now to develop a green hydrogen workforce, they can be ready for the coming wave of green hydrogen development and utilization. Hydrogen learning opportunities should be made available from the high school level upward as part of comprehensive skills plans for developing a prepared workforce.
With forethought and smart implementation, young Africans can be readied to lead the way in bringing the benefits of green hydrogen to their communities. In the process, job shortages can be mitigated as these young employees put their skills to work in the production, storage, and transportation of green hydrogen.
More African countries should be taking measures to ensure their people and businesses capitalize on green energy opportunities. And these must not stop with education and skills training; we also need local content measures to help ensure our residents benefit from renewable power projects and facilities operations.
Ensuring Strong Local Content Policies
Just as local content rules continue to function as vital safeguards in African oil and gas operations, they will be tremendously important in the renewables sector, both for individuals and for businesses. As I've stated in the past, every nation needs to create a framework that empowers indigenous companies to fully capitalize on renewable energy opportunities.
There are times when power needs may justify temporary modifications to these policies. As an example, South Africa's National Energy Crisis Committee (NECOM), early this year, relaxed its local content rules for the construction of solar modules. Easing local employment requirements from 100% to 30% for local component production is meant to facilitate quicker deployment of solar projects, and hopefully, help alleviate the country's crippling power outages.
Power supply levels and other factors show the need to perform a balancing act when writing local content rules. Those other factors include the supply of current local skilled workers and infrastructure. We don't want to discourage developers, so we need appropriate, tailored local content regulations.
One reasonable approach is the one taken by Kenya, where guidelines requiring contractors to formulate a local content plan have been drafted. These plans must include training, succession, jobs, technology transfer, R&D, legal, financial, and insurance issues. This approach places the “ball” in the “court” of each project's contractor, allowing for their input in local content formulation.
A similar policy has been enacted in Nigeria. The local content policy is part of the government's Electricity Act 2023. It requires the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to provide for local content participation involving employment, production, and assembly of components for solar PV, deep cycle batteries, and the electro-mechanical parts of SHP technology, wind boilers, and some turbines.
The act goes further, requiring contractors, sub-contractors, and licensees involved in renewable energy to include local content in all their related activities.
If widely enacted across the continent, similar local content rules can work hand-in-hand with training efforts to ensure Africans benefit from renewable energy development — through employment and the growth of their economies.
We are seeing promising movement in the effort to address Africa's skills gap, but we need many more programs, and we need them now. African countries and energy industry stakeholders should be doing everything possible to support these efforts, so Africans don't miss out on renewable energy industry opportunities.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.
Johannesburg, 8 December 2023. In the last week a lot has been reported into assessing the likely impact the potential closure of ArcelorMittal SA’s operations in Newcastle and Vereeniging, as well as ArcelorMittal Rail and Structural will have on the South African economy. A number of alarming outcomes are emerging which all point to the …
President establishes Presidential PhD Initiative to boost innovation
President Cyril Ramaphosa announced on Tuesday that government has established the Presidential PhD Initiative through an initial R1 billion investment from the National Skills Fund in efforts to boost science and technology.
“The first phase aims to expose our country’s brightest young minds to cutting-edge thinking and research by negotiating opportunities at world-leading universities and research centres,” he explained.
President Ramaphosa announced the initiative during the inaugural Presidential Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Plenary in Pretoria.
The President told the attendees that the studies will be to large scale and established research programmes in public research facilities and industry.
The initiative will build critical skills in artificial intelligence research, advanced biotechnology, fuel cell development, battery storage, and next-generation mining.
The country’s first citizen has since called to extend a call to the private sector and international partners to assist in growing the investment for the Presidential PhD Initiative fund to R5 billion by 2030.
He said collaboration is needed to ensure synergy between programmes across the national innovation system.
“We must harness education, science and innovation to protect our natural environment, drive inclusive economic growth and enrich all areas of human endeavour.”
The country’s Commander-in-Chief described the first plenary as an important initiative that brings together government, academia, civil society and industry to collectively drive South Africa’s National System of Innovation (NSI).
In November 2022, the Cabinet adopted the STI Decadal Plan to guide the first 10 years of implementing the 2019 White Paper on STI.
“Science, technology and innovation are essential for economies to thrive and for societies to prosper.
“In the new world of work, in the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, science, technology and innovation determine which countries move forward and which are left behind. Our country has several strengths.”
Citing the 2022 Global Innovation Index published by the World Intellectual Property Organisation, he said South Africa ranked above the upper-middle-income group average in three areas.
These include market sophistication, knowledge and technology outputs, and creative outputs.
According to the index, South Africa also improved the number of patents by origin, citable documents, intellectual property receipts, high-tech manufacturing and high-tech exports.
“However, our performance is mixed for the factors that drive innovation, such as education expenditure, expenditure on research and development and access to information technology.”
The President also highlighted significant strides in higher education including the number of students graduating from public universities from about 60 000 in 1994 to around 230 000 by 2018.
“The share of graduates in science, engineering and technology fields has been increasing compared to graduates in the humanities.”
He also acknowledged that the State needed to significantly increase investment in research and development.
In 2021, gross expenditure on research and development (R&D) in South Africa was 0.6% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), far below the targeted 1.5%.
“By comparison, in 2022, the United States spent 2.6% and South Korea spent 5% of their respective GDPs on research and development.
“This is a situation that we are determined to turn around. Through greater cooperation between government and industry, we can reverse this trend.”
President Ramaphosa is of the view that the potential of science, technology and innovation to modernise and expand the productive sectors is vast.
He cited the Mandela Mining Precinct and the South African Mining Extraction Research, Development and Innovation initiative, which are aimed at revitalising our mining industry.
Shifting his focus on vaccines, he said Afrigen Biologics, a South African company part-owned by the Industrial Development Corporation, is working on a new tuberculosis vaccine using mRNA technology.
Meanwhile, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation recently allocated US$5 million to Biovac to develop mRNA vaccines using a local platform.
“This grant enables our researchers and scientists to strengthen the pharmaceutical research and vaccine production ecosystem so that we can address both current and future health challenges.”
He said he views innovation as the driver of sustainable job creation and small business development and tackles the realities of climate change.
“From these examples, it is clear that we are certainly progressing, but not at the pace we should be,” he admitted.
“For science, technology and innovation to serve South Africa’s economy and society effectively, we need to aggressively and strategically invest in education and skills development because this is the lifeblood of a modern economy.
“We know that nations such as Japan, South Korea and Germany have science, technology and innovation in the service of their societies, with commendable results.”
However, Nzimande qualified that when they talk about STI, they refer to both the natural and social sciences and humanities.
“For it is only possible to understand, let alone solve the major developmental and existential challenges of the 21st century through invoking the insights of trans-disciplinary knowledge.” – SAnews.gov.za
Gabisile
Tue, 12/12/2023 - 13:58
President establishes Presidential PhD Initiative to boost innovative
President Cyril Ramaphosa announced on Tuesday that government has established the Presidential PhD Initiative through an initial R1 billion investment from the National Skills Fund in efforts to boost science and technology.
“The first phase aims to expose our country’s brightest young minds to cutting-edge thinking and research by negotiating opportunities at world-leading universities and research centres,” he explained.
President Ramaphosa announced the initiative during the inaugural Presidential Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Plenary in Pretoria.
The President told the attendees that the studies will be to large scale and established research programmes in public research facilities and industry.
The initiative will build critical skills in artificial intelligence research, advanced biotechnology, fuel cell development, battery storage, and next-generation mining.
The country’s first citizen has since called to extend a call to the private sector and international partners to assist in growing the investment for the Presidential PhD Initiative fund to R5 billion by 2030.
He said collaboration is needed to ensure synergy between programmes across the national innovation system.
“We must harness education, science and innovation to protect our natural environment, drive inclusive economic growth and enrich all areas of human endeavour.”
The country’s Commander-in-Chief described the first plenary as an important initiative that brings together government, academia, civil society and industry to collectively drive South Africa’s National System of Innovation (NSI).
In November 2022, the Cabinet adopted the STI Decadal Plan to guide the first 10 years of implementing the 2019 White Paper on STI.
“Science, technology and innovation are essential for economies to thrive and for societies to prosper.
“In the new world of work, in the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, science, technology and innovation determine which countries move forward and which are left behind. Our country has several strengths.”
Citing the 2022 Global Innovation Index published by the World Intellectual Property Organisation, he said South Africa ranked above the upper-middle-income group average in three areas.
These include market sophistication, knowledge and technology outputs, and creative outputs.
According to the index, South Africa also improved the number of patents by origin, citable documents, intellectual property receipts, high-tech manufacturing and high-tech exports.
“However, our performance is mixed for the factors that drive innovation, such as education expenditure, expenditure on research and development and access to information technology.”
The President also highlighted significant strides in higher education including the number of students graduating from public universities from about 60 000 in 1994 to around 230 000 by 2018.
“The share of graduates in science, engineering and technology fields has been increasing compared to graduates in the humanities.”
He also acknowledged that the State needed to significantly increase investment in research and development.
In 2021, gross expenditure on research and development (R&D) in South Africa was 0.6% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), far below the targeted 1.5%.
“By comparison, in 2022, the United States spent 2.6% and South Korea spent 5% of their respective GDPs on research and development.
“This is a situation that we are determined to turn around. Through greater cooperation between government and industry, we can reverse this trend.”
President Ramaphosa is of the view that the potential of science, technology and innovation to modernise and expand the productive sectors is vast.
He cited the Mandela Mining Precinct and the South African Mining Extraction Research, Development and Innovation initiative, which are aimed at revitalising our mining industry.
Shifting his focus on vaccines, he said Afrigen Biologics, a South African company part-owned by the Industrial Development Corporation, is working on a new tuberculosis vaccine using mRNA technology.
Meanwhile, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation recently allocated US$5 million to Biovac to develop mRNA vaccines using a local platform.
“This grant enables our researchers and scientists to strengthen the pharmaceutical research and vaccine production ecosystem so that we can address both current and future health challenges.”
He said he views innovation as the driver of sustainable job creation and small business development and tackles the realities of climate change.
“From these examples, it is clear that we are certainly progressing, but not at the pace we should be,” he admitted.
“For science, technology and innovation to serve South Africa’s economy and society effectively, we need to aggressively and strategically invest in education and skills development because this is the lifeblood of a modern economy.
“We know that nations such as Japan, South Korea and Germany have science, technology and innovation in the service of their societies, with commendable results.”
However, Nzimande qualified that when they talk about STI, they refer to both the natural and social sciences and humanities.
“For it is only possible to understand, let alone solve the major developmental and existential challenges of the 21st century through invoking the insights of trans-disciplinary knowledge.” – SAnews.gov.za
Gabisile
Tue, 12/12/2023 - 13:58
Cranes added at Transnet’s Cape Town Container Terminal to boost productivity
Transnet’s Cape Town Container Terminal (CTCT) has received a delivery of seven pre-used rubber-tyred gantry cranes (RTGs).
The acquisition of the RTGs is part of the State-owned entity’s turnaround plan, whose key priorities include equipment availability, in order to support operational efficiencies.
Western Cape Terminals Managing Executive, Andiswa Dlanga, said: “The acquisition of additional RTGs in our terminal will go a long way in offering a reliable service to our customers, a much-needed boost for the growth of the Western Cape and South Africa's economy.
“As a business, we are committed to deliver on our promise to customers and industry, thus equipment availability and reliability are at the core of what we do. These additional machines will enable us to improve operational performance and turn-around vessels on time”.
In a statement, Transnet Port Terminals [TPT] explained that the new cranes will bring the number of TRGs operating at the CTCT to 27 – a timely boost as ahead of the peak of the deciduous season which is the terminal’s busiest time.
“Out of the 20 RTGs, seven of them were recently fitted with new engines and three with generators. CTCT is currently completing maintenance repairs on two additional RTGs, which will bring the total number to 29. Over the next few days, the engineering team will spend time commissioning all the seven RTGs to ensure readiness before they are officially handed over to operations. Concurrently, the operations team will roll out training to operators who will be working on the additional RTG machines.
“The acquisition of RTGs is a display of TPT’s commitment to the industry and stakeholders as more reliable equipment directly leads to improved productivity while also ensuring seamless vessel movement within the port,” the statement read. – SAnews.gov.za
NeoB
Tue, 12/12/2023 - 11:29
PROTEC, a national NPO that has been building successful STEM careers in South Africa since 1982, is closing the year with exciting plans and strategies for expanding the geographic reach, the number of teachers and learners to be impacted, and the range of programmes in PROTEC’s portfolio in forthcoming years. Balan Moodley, CEO of PROTEC, …
Deputy President on working visit to Southeast Asia
Deputy President Paul Mashatile has arrived in the Republic of Singapore to begin the first leg of his first working visit to Southeast Asia.
The Deputy President began his visit on Sunday with a tour of the Marina Barrage development, Singapore’s innovate water resource management project.
As a resource-poor and water-scarce country, Singapore has invested significantly in research and development of water management and sustainability. Most impressively, the country has made big strides in the area of seawater desalination.
“The Deputy President’s visit to the country is aimed at building and strengthening bilateral relations, particularly increasing trade, economic, knowledge and cultural exchange between the two States,” the Presidency said in a statement.
Singapore is a global financial hub and is considered one of the premier asset management centres in Asia. The World Bank has ranked Singapore as the number one country in the world for ease of doing business since 2006, and the country is an important global aviation and maritime hub.
Singapore is also considered an important gateway for the export of goods and services to Southeast Asia and a hub for joint venture partnerships throughout Asia. It is an important centre for South African businesses looking for opportunities to expand operations on the continent.
As part of his programme, the Presidency said, Mashatile will visit the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy and deliver a public lecture on the 30 years of diplomatic relations between South Africa and Singapore titled “Celebrating a journey of mutual respect, strategic partnership and cooperation.”
The Deputy President is accompanied in Singapore by Deputy Ministers for International Relations and Cooperation, Candith Mashego-Dlamini; Trade, Industry and Competition, Nomalungelo Gina; Higher Education, Science and Innovation, Buti Manamela; Communication and Digital Technologies, Philly Mapulane; Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Magdalene Sotyu, and senior government officials.
Trade and diplomatic links
One of the key areas of collaboration between South Africa and Singapore is trade. Singapore is one of South Africa's largest trading partners in Southeast Asia, with trade between the two countries totalling approximately R28 billion in 2022.
Singapore is a significant investor in South Africa, with investments totalling over R5 billion in sectors such as manufacturing, financial services and real estate.
South Africa's economic relations with Singapore are focused on trade, investment, tourism promotion and skills transfer.
South Africa exports a range of products to Singapore, including gold, diamonds and wine, while Singapore exports electronics, chemicals and machinery to South Africa.
In May this year, President Cyril Ramaphosa hosted Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong of the Republic of Singapore for an Official Visit in Cape Town.
Singapore’s visit to South Africa continued the high-level engagement the two governments have fostered since diplomatic relations begun in 1993, ahead of South Africa’s democratic transition.
Since then, the two countries have shared excellent bilateral relations, which have formed the basis of regular high-level visits.
2023 marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Republic of South Africa and the Republic of Singapore as partners who work together closely in multinational fora.
Singapore, like South Africa, is a member of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), the Commonwealth, as well as the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).
The two countries have signed numerous agreements to enhance cooperation in areas such as trade, investment, education, and defence.
The May visit was preceded by an official visit undertaken by the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Dr Naledi Pandor, to Singapore in July 2022 to strengthen bilateral relations.
In May, President Ramaphosa and Prime Minister Hsien Loong held official talks on cooperation in the areas of communications and digital technology, science and innovation, water and sanitation and skills development.
The leaders discussed the potential for closer collaboration in these areas when they met on the sidelines of the G20 Leaders Summit held in Bali last year.
The visit brought captains of industry from the respective countries to collaborate in sectors ranging from ports, logistics and supply chain, healthcare and biomedical, food manufacturing and engineering. – SAnews.gov.za
GabiK
Sun, 12/10/2023 - 12:58
Transnet increases tug availability at Durban port
The Port of Durban has made significant strides in the improvement of its marine craft status by increasing tug availability to an average of six tugs as of December 2023.
The increased tug availability is set to complement the 24-hour helicopter service, ensure a quicker turnaround of vessels at the port and allow terminal operators to implement the Container Recovery Plan at the port, with agility. The Plan was put in place to clear backlogs and improve the turnaround time of vessels calling the container terminals.
The port has seen severe delays recently due to various factors, including adverse weather conditions and equipment availability and maintenance.
“Having all six tugs operating is a big step in the right direction for the port and our investment in the marine fleet exhibits our commitment to continuous improvement and ensuring the port remains a gateway for trade.
“We are optimistic about the positive impact these tugs will have on the current container recovery plan and our general service offering to our customers,” Transnet National Ports Authority, Port Manager at the Port of Durban, Mpumi Dweba-Kwetana said on Friday.
The six operational tugs namely: Umkhomazi, Mkhuze, Lotheni, Palmiet, Pholela and uMhlali, are playing a vital role in adding the required tug capacity and availability in the improvement of operational efficiencies in the port.
“This milestone comes after the introduction of the Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) wide fleet renewal programme, which seeks to ensure that marine crafts are maintained and serviced periodically to mitigate against breakdowns and provide a buffer should there be a need.
“The provision of tugs falls within the ambit of TNPA as stipulated in Section 11 (n) of the National Ports Act of 2005, which states that the authority should provide or arrange for tugs, pilot boats and other facilities and services for the navigation and berthing of vessels in the ports.
"Most of the repair and maintenance of the Port of Durban marine fleet has been carried out by TNPA’s internal heavy engineering workshop, Workshop 24, which is based in the Bayhead Precinct in the port," Transnet said.
TNPA also anticipates the delivery of three second-hand tugs to the Port of Durban in the first quarter of 2024.
TNPA is responsible for the safe, effective and efficient economic functioning of the national port system, which it manages in a landlord capacity.
It provides port infrastructure and marine services at the eight commercial seaports in South Africa – Richards Bay, Durban, Saldanha, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, East London, Mossel Bay and Ngqura.
It operates within a legislative and regulatory environment and is governed by the National Ports Act (Act No. 12 of 2005). – SAnews.gov.za
nosihle
Fri, 12/08/2023 - 13:01
High Gear, a significant initiative from the International Youth Foundation (IYF), has been instrumental in advancing the TVET system with modernised automotive engineering curricula, bridging the educational gap with the evolving demands of industry. This initiative, supported by the British High Commission – Pretoria (BHC), the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the …
The Social Craft is changing the talent narrative in South Africa, for the 3rd year in a row. Turning three in 2023, The Social Craft is celebrating its birthday with remarkable statistics and a growing client list. With a 241% increase in 2023 alone, the company has also seen an impressive 3x employee growth in …
Mchunu reaffirms commitment to deliver quality water services
Water and Sanitation Minister Senzo Mchunu has reaffirmed the department’s commitment to continue efforts to ensure that citizens receive quality water services.
This comes as the department released the 2023 full Blue Drop and No Drop reports on drinking water quality, provision and wastewater management in the country.
The reports were released simultaneously with the awards for the best performing municipalities ceremony held on Tuesday to recognise the top-performing Water Services Authorities (WSAs) of 2023.
The Blue Drop Report evaluated all 958 water supply systems (WSSs) across 144 water services authorities. The evaluations considered factors such as infrastructure conditions, maintenance, operation, treatment processes, and staff expertise.
The No Drop Report focused on water losses and non-revenue water in all municipalities in the country.
The reports revealed a decline in drinking water quality and an increase in non-revenue water since the last reports issued in 2014.
Decline in water supply systems
According to the Blue Drop Report, only 26 water supply systems were able to achieve scores above 95% and qualified for the prestigious Blue Drop Certification. This is an overall decline from 2014, where 44 WSSs were awarded Blue Drop status.
The report revealed that the number of water supply systems in a critical state of performance increased from 174 in 2014 to 277 in 2023, indicating a significant decline in excellence between 2014 and 2023.
Drinking water systems in the major metropolitan areas were found to be generally performing well in terms of the Blue Drop key performance areas, with Gauteng having the highest percentage of drinking water systems with excellent or good performance (62%), followed by the Western Cape (50%).
In Gauteng, three municipalities have received National Blue Drop Certification.
These include Meyerton water supply system (provided by Rand Water Bulk Water Service) in Midvaal Local Municipality; Ekurhuleni water supply systems (provided by Rand Water Bulk Service), and the Greater Johannesburg water supply system (provided by Rand Water Bulk water supply systems).
“The water supply disruptions, which have been experienced in Gauteng in recent months, are caused by the demand for treated water occasionally exceeding the available supply of treated water,” Mchunu said.
The Northern Cape has the highest percentage of drinking water systems with poor or critical performance (87%), and this has deteriorated from 48% in 2014.
In the Free State, the percentage of drinking water systems with poor or critical performance has also deteriorated markedly between 2014 (31%) and 2023 (59%).
Based on water quality tests carried out by municipalities during the 2021/2022 municipal financial year, the report showed that 54% of water supply systems achieved excellent or good microbiological water quality compliance, while 46% achieved poor or bad microbiological water quality compliance.
While only 5% of water supply systems achieved poor or bad microbiological water quality compliance in 2014, the report noted a generally good drinking water quality in the major metropolitan areas.
The Blue Drop assessment further found that 85% of drinking water systems were in an average or better infrastructure condition. It noted that Gauteng has the lowest shortfalls of qualified staff, while the Northern Cape has the highest shortfalls of qualified staff.
Increase in non-revenue water
The 2023 No Drop assessment found that the national non-revenue water (NRW) increased from 37% in 2014 to 47% in 2023. The international average for non-revenue water is 30%.
The report attributed this to physical losses, including water leaking out of pipes above or underground, poorly functioning or non-existent water meters, illegal connections, and poor billing and revenue collection.
Four WSAs scored more than 90% and qualified for the prestigious No Drop Certification.
In order to reduce non-revenue water, Mchunu said municipalities need to improve the operation and maintenance of their infrastructure; repair leaks; improve metering, billing, revenue collection and debtor management; improve pressure management, and engage in community education and awareness, among other measures.
Mchunu said the department is working collaboratively with the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, including the Municipal Infrastructure Agency, Department of Human Settlements and National Treasury to address the findings of the Drop reports, and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals 6 (SDG6) by 2030.
“Action plans have been developed to address the key findings in the worst performing municipalities. These action plans include the provision of grants worth more than R20 billion per annum to municipalities, technical and engineering support and assistance, capacity building and training, and financial management advice and support,” the Minister said. – SAnews.gov.za
GabiK
Wed, 12/06/2023 - 10:23
By the end of this year already, the market for artificial intelligence (AI) in South Africa is projected to reach (https://apo-opa.co/481NZ3n) a size of $2.4 billion, showing an annual growth rate of 21% between now and 2030. Locally, the technology has the potential to mitigate security risks, enhance decision-making, address legacy challenges, and have a significantly positive societal impact. Despite the impressive applications and implications, Anna Collard, SVP Content Strategy & Evangelist at KnowBe4 AFRICA (https://www.KnowBe4.com), warns of the associated risks that need to be considered.
“Generative AI models are trained on data from various sources,” she explains, highlighting that these sources are not all verified, lack sufficient context, and are not regulated. “AI is incredibly helpful in handling the mundane administrative tasks associated with spreadsheets and statistics. However, it becomes concerning when we rely on it to make decisions that have the potential to influence people's lives.”
AI is an algorithmic construct built on the bones of human creative endeavours and data that is often flawed and biased. “As Kate Crawford, a professor at the University of Southern California and Microsoft researcher, pointed out (https://apo-opa.co/3GwCPYK), AI is not truly artificial or intelligent. This poses risks that can have long-term consequences if users are unaware of them,” explains Collard.
Here are six of the most concerning risks:
01: AI hallucinations: Earlier this year, a New York attorney used a conversational chatbot for legal research. The AI deceitfully incorporated six fabricated precedents into his filing, falsely attributing them to prominent legal databases. This is a perfect example (https://apo-opa.co/3uJjW2e) of an AI hallucination, where the output is either fake or nonsense. These incidents happen when prompts are outside of the AI's training data and so the model hallucinates or contradicts itself in order to respond.
02: Deepfakes: The implications of fake images extend to various areas. With the rise of fake identities, revenge porn, and fabricated employees, the range of potential misuse for AI-generated photographs is expanding. One particular technology called Generative Adversarial Network (GAN) (https://apo-opa.co/481j1Zi) is a type of deep neural network capable of producing new data and generating highly realistic images by using random input. This technology opens up the realm of deepfakes, where sophisticated generative techniques manipulate facial features and can be applied to images, audio, and video. This form of digital puppetry carries significant consequences in political persuasion, misinformation or polarization campaigns.
03: Automated and more effective attacks: This taps directly into the potential of GAN mentioned before, as cybercriminals make use of deepfakes in more sophisticated attacks. They use it in impersonation attacks, where fake voice or even video versions of someone can be used to manipulate victims into paying or following other fraudulent instructions. Cybercriminals also benefit from jailbroken generative AI models to help them automate or simplify their attach methods, such as for example automating the creation of phishing emails.
04: Media equation theory: This refers to the fact that human beings have a tendency to attribute human characteristics to machines and develop feelings of empathy towards them. This tendency becomes even stronger when the interactions with machines seem intelligent. Although this can positively impact user engagement and support in the service sector, it also carries a risk. People become more vulnerable to manipulation, persuasion, and social engineering because of this over-trust effect. They tend to believe and follow machines more than they should. Research has shown (https://apo-opa.co/3RvGVqg) that people are likely to alter their responses to queries in order to comply with suggestions made by robots.
05: The manipulation problem: AI, through the use of natural language processing, machine learning, and algorithmic analyses, can both respond to and simulate emotions. By gathering information from various sources, agenda driven AI chatbots for example can promptly react to sensory input in real time and utilise it to accomplish specific objectives, such as persuasion or manipulation. These capabilities create opportunities for the dissemination of predatory content, misinformation, disinformation, and scams.
06: Ethical issues: The presence of bias in the data and the current absence of regulations regarding AI development, data usage, and AI application all raise ethical concerns. Global efforts are underway to tackle the challenge of ethics in AI and reduce the risks of AI poisoning, which entails manipulating data to introduce vulnerabilities or biases. “However, South Africa currently lacks momentum in addressing these issues. This must change, as managing and detecting the risk of polluted AI data before it causes long-term harm is essential.” Says Collard.
“It is important to be mindful of the information we share with AI chatbots and virtual personal assistants. We should always question how our data is being used and by whom,” concludes Collard. “There is a risk of sharing sensitive personal and business information with data training models. While AI is a valuable tool, it is crucial to use it with critical thinking and mindfulness, and only rely on it in situations where it provides the most value and has been fact checked.”
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of KnowBe4.
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SA commends Cuba’s support in water sector
Water and Sanitation Deputy Minister David Mahlobo has commended the Cuban government for its continued solidarity with the people of South Africa, particularly in the field of water and sanitation.
“The unwavering support that we receive from the Cuban government has been amazing and we will forever be grateful for their commitment in ensuring that South Africa is developed into a better state and achieve a great life for its people,” Mahlobo said.
He was speaking during the 7th South Africa-Cuba High Level Panel meeting with Cuba’s Institute of National Hydraulic Resources first Vice President, Bladimir Matos Moya, and a contingent of Cuban engineers deployed to South Africa as part of a long-standing cooperation between the two states.
During the meeting held in Pretoria this week, South Africa and Cuba reviewed the existing cooperation agreement between the two States in the areas of geo-hydrology and engineering services.
The two also committed to continue working together and strengthening the existing relations.
“The expertise from Cuban engineers has assisted our country and our department a great deal in improving our technical capacity to manage our water infrastructure,” Mahlobo said.
The Deputy Minister commended the experienced engineers from Cuba for imparting their vast knowledge into up-and-coming engineers at the department.
The department has a Learning Academy which is tasked with unearthing young engineers to bridge the skills gap in the water sector.
“We offer bursaries and then absorb young engineers upon completion of their studies, and we capacitate to acquire the required skills in many ways. This is where the expertise of Cuban engineers come in, to equip our newly graduated engineers to become better,” Mahlobo said.
The Deputy Minister reiterated that water security is dependent on how the country manages its infrastructure and water resources, saying this can be achieved through cooperation with like-minded and developed countries.
The current cooperation agreement between the two States, which was entered into in 2020, is set to lapse in 2025 and upon which, a new agreement is expected to be entered into until 2030.
Mahlobo said the 25 engineers assisting South Africa have been involved in electrical and mechanical operations and maintenance of pump stations and systems, dams, reservoirs associated with the electricity generation, mining industries and food production.
“They have also been assisting with hydraulic and civil engineering work in regional bulk infrastructure project, control of expenses associated with infrastructure development in municipalities, drought relief programs, [including] COVID-19 projects and approval of water use licence applications. They have also involved in the development of Emergency Preparedness Plans for all dams according to the established regulations,” Mahlobo said.
The two States have agreed to begin the process of reviewing the cooperation going forward and to expand to other areas of cooperation, which includes infrastructure investment and planning, development of green energy including the development of hydropower, climate change and its impact on infrastructure and national disaster management.
The projects that the Cuban engineers have been involved in include, among others:
• Conditional assessment of Standerton water supply conduction, treatment, and disposal to the environment of the wastewater, Lekwa Local Municipality, Gert Sibande District Municipality;
• Technical audit of the hydraulic system of the Vaal basin in Johannesburg;
• Technical support and monitoring of the execution of RBIP projects;
• Upgrade of Maviljan Waste Water Treatment Works, Bushbuckridge;
• Upgrade of Eerstehoek Water Supply phases 1 and 2 Albert Luthuli Local Municipality;
• Upgrade of Bulk pipeline for Empuluzi Methula Water Scheme phase 5, 6, 7 Albert Luthuli Local Municipality; and
• Regional Bulk Water Supply Scheme for Breyten (Cluster 2 phases 1 2 Msukaligwa Local Municipality. – SAnews.gov.za
GabiK
Fri, 12/01/2023 - 12:24
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